At the south easternmost edge of Greek dominion, spreads out the calm and beauty of Kastellorizo. The island of Kastellorizo lies 72 miles east of Rhodes, 328 nautical miles from the port pf Piraeus and only 2 klms from the Turkish coastline. Its total surface is 9 sq. kms and its coastline is 19 kms.

On this small island that beholds a glorious past, you will truly feel you are standing right on the trade crossroad of Europe and Asia, as the Asian coastline is only 2 nautical miles away. Kastellorizo is an island with a rich nautical tradition that explains the noble air about the island that reflects its past glory and prosperity.

The island is connected with Rhodes by ferry and is served by Kastellorizo Airport. Kastellorizo has 4 boats to Kas, Turkey. There is one small bus in service on Kastellorizo, The bus is used to collect tourists from the airport.

The island's official name, Megisti (Μεγίστη) means "biggest" or "greatest", but at only 11.987 km2 in area, it is the smallest of the Dodecanese. The name, however, refers to the fact that it is the largest of the small archipelago.

This name was used in antiquity, but is now rarely used in Greek, the name Kastellórizo being common since the twelfth century.

There are several hypotheses about the origin of this name. "Kastello" derives from the Italian word "castello", meaning "castle".

There is some argument on the second part of the name. The arguments are centered on the following possible origins of the element rizo:

rizo being derived from the Italian word "rosso" meaning "red", either from the reddish color of the rocks of the island, or from the reddish color of the castle at sunset, or from the color of the coat of arms of the Great Master of the Knights of Rhodes, Juan Fernandez de Heredia, which stood above the gate of the castle; these arguments are widely discredited as the rocks on the island do not contain any red pigment and the name Kastellorizo predates the arrival of the Knights.

rizo being a corruption of the word "Rhoge", one of the ancient appellations of the nearby island of Ro. If this is correct, the island's modern name is actually an amalgam of the separate island names "Castello" and "Rhoge".

rizo being the actual Greek word "rizon" maintained throughout the centuries, meaning "root", as researched by Greek Historian I.M. Hatzifotis (1996), to signify the "tree roots" of the foothill on which the castle was built.It has gone by several different names in its history, including Kastellorizo (Greek), Castellorizo (Greek name with Italian spelling), Castelrosso (Italian, meaning "Red Castle"), Chateau Rouge (French translation of Italian name) and Turkish: Meis or Kızılhisar, the former deriving from the island's official name in Greek, the latter meaning "Red Castle", a translation of the Italian name.

The island was colonised by Dorian Greeks, who named it Megiste. Inscriptions found at the foot of the Knight's castle confirm that during the Hellenistic period the island was ruled by Rhodes, and formed part of its Peraia. The Rhodians sent an overseer, or epistatis, to monitor events on the island.

During the period of the Byzantine Empire, Kastellorizo was part of the 'Eparchy of the Islands', the capital of which was Rhodes. In 1306 the island was taken over by the Knights of St. John Hospitaller of Jerusalem, headed by Folques de Villaret.

They were on their way from Cyprus to Rhodes, which was conquered three years later, becoming the centre of their Crusader State. They restored the castle, which was thereafter used as prison for disobedient knights. In 1440 the island was occupied by Sultan Djemal-el-din of Egypt, who destroyed the castle.

Ten years later it was conquered by Alfonso V of Aragon, king of Naples, who in 1461 rebuilt the castle and dispatched a governor. Naples retained possession of it until 1512, when it was conquered by Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I.

On 22 September 1659, during the war over Crete, the island was conquered by Venice and the castle was destroyed again, but the Ottomans were able to regain it again soon after. Between 1828 and 1833 Kastellórizo joined the Greek insurgents, but after the end of the Greek War of Independence it came back in possession of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1912, during the Libyan war between Italy and the Ottoman Empire, the inhabitants asked Giovanni Battista Ameglio (it), chief of the Italian occupation forces in Rhodes, for their island to be annexed to Italy. This was refused, and on 14 March 1913 the local population imprisoned the Turkish governor and his Ottoman garrison and proclaimed a provisional government.

In August of the same year, the Greek government sent from Samos a provisional governor supported by gendarmes. But they, too, were expelled by the inhabitants on 20 October 1915.

On 28 December 1915, the French navy led by the cruiser Jeanne d'Arc occupied the island at the behest of a pro-French local party which feared Turkish reprisals. The French quickly blocked another landing attempted on the same day by a Greek contingent of Evzones. Turkish shore batteries responded to the French occupation by shelling the island, in 1917 succeeding in sinking the British seaplane carrier HMS Ben-my-Chree.

In the Treaty of Sèvres the island was assigned to Italy and the Italian navy assumed it from the French on 1 March 1921, but the treaty was never ratified.

The Treaty of Lausanne confirmed the Italian claim on Kastellórizo, and the island - under the Italian name Castelrosso - was then integrated in the possession of the Isole Italiane dell'Egeo.

What to see in Kastellorizo Island, Dodecanese

Overview

Map

Castle of the Order of St John

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseIt was built in the 14th century on the edge of a small slope right above the port; on reddish rock (Castello Roso) from which the island got its name. Today, only parts of its exterior walls and of some of its towers are still intact.
Source:...View More

Castle of the Order of St John

Blue Cave - Paratas Cave - Fokiali

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseThe famous aqua colored cave of Kastellorizo is one of the rarest geological phenomena and one of the most amazing formations on the earth; Kastellorizo is worth visiting just for this cave. Also known under the name of “Paratas...View More

Blue Cave - Paratas Cave - Fokiali

Agios Georgios tou Vounou Monastery

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseHaving walked along the cobbled lanes of fthe port, it is worth walking up the 401 steps that lead to the monastery of St. George Tou Vounou. It is situated in the area of Palaiokastro and huge natural stones surround it. Inside the...View More

Agios Georgios tou Vounou Monastery

Agios Konstantinos and Agia Eleni Cathedral

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseIn the most prominent location of the island right above Mandraki the metropolitan temple of the patron saints of the island Constantine and Helen dominates. The roof of the Cathedral lies on twelve enormous monolithic granite pillars,...View More

Agios Konstantinos and Agia Eleni Cathedral

Archaeological Site of Paleokastro

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseOn the western side of Kastellorizo is the most ancient and important sight of the island – Palaiokastro. It is an ancient settlement with a lot of remains of buildings and water cisterns. On its Doric Acropolis of the 3rd century...View More

Archaeological Site of Paleokastro

Archaeological Museum of Kastellorizo

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseIt is located close to the remains of the castle and it has exhibits of great value from different periods of time as well as objects of folk art.
Source: Island of Kastellorizo
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Archaeological Museum of Kastellorizo

Stone - Hewed Lycean Tomb

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseIt is a perfectly preserved tomb of the 4th century B.C. hewed in the stone at the foot of the Castle. It is worth mentioning that Lyceans was the name given to the inhabitants of Asia Minor because they worshipped “Apollo Lycios”...View More

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseOur restaurant has been created with special attention to the interior decoration with a friendly environment. With room by the sea and below the shed we can service and the largest groups of customers. Those who\'d rather dine on...View More

Kastellorizo Island, DodecaneseKastellorizo Island Public Airport is an airport on the small island Kastellorizo, Greece (IATA: KZS, ICAO: LGKJ), part of the Dodecanese island group. It is the eastmost airport of Greece. In the beginning of the twentieth century,...View More

Kastellorizo Island Public Airport Megisti

Nearby Regions & Islands

Ro Island

DodecaneseDistance:
Ro or Rho is a small Greek
island in the eastern...View More

Ro Island

Rhodes Island

DodecaneseDistance:Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος, Ródos [ˈroðos]) is the largest of the Dodecanese...View More

Rhodes Island

Symi Island

DodecaneseDistance:Symi belongs to the Dodecanese islands complex and lies 24 nautical miles...View More

Symi Island

Alimia Island

DodecaneseDistance:The small, mountainous islet of Alimia is located 4 nautical miles to the...View More